Valkyria Chronicles: Mixed Blood Conspiracy
by LilithArtist
Summary: Years after the events of Valkyria Chronicles 1&2, the country of Europa is at peace. That is, until the arrival of a mysterious army known as the Sable Eye, lead by people with unnatural powers, declares war on all of Europa. As the Gallian Militia is called to fight the threat, three new recruits must ban together and discover the secret of the Mixed Blood Conspiracy.
1. Chapter 1 - Alonzo Log, Entry 1

**Authors Comment**

**Hello, all fellows in . This is LilithArtist, and this is my first time presenting a fanfic because I've never tried this; so, please don't be too hard on me. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Valkyria Chronicles, but I own this story and the OCs involved in it.**

**Read and review, but don't flame me.**

Alonzo Marsden

I am Sergeant Alonzo Marsden, of the Gallian Militia, of the 7th squadron.

It is the 15th day of the fifth month, and it's my first time charging into the front lines against the Imperial troops. Apparently, we have received a distress message from a small village under threat of being raided. I have been sent in along with several new recruits, along with veterans Rosie Starks and Largo, to perform a rescue and offensive counterattack. Our new sniper unit, known as William Tell, is coming with us as well.

William used to fight with the Imperial Army back in the War, but after a harsh battle in the fort of Ghirlandio, he surrendered, and was sent to prison. However, he was released earlier than planned because he cooperated with his captors. After a little time in a small farming community, he answered the call to arms and joined the Gallian Militia. None of us know why.

When we got there, we could see that the Imperials indeed were causing terror in the poor, little village indeed. There were soldiers all around town, and there was no sign of the citizens. They were trapped inside their homes. This is our charge, to save the people from the Imperial bullies.

Later

The battle was rough. The Imperial troopers were pretty tough soldiers indeed. We managed to slip into the gates, thanks to a decoy force set to draw the guards away. However, we ran into trouble with soldiers that tried to ambush us from within the village. My group and I were able to take out a great deal of them, and we were sure that we had taken care of them. Everyone else handled their job well, ensuring no one got hurt, and that the civilians were spared of any pain. William was able to provide support for us from a high structure and shot down several unsuspecting men who tried to sneak attack.

I had a surprise, though, when I happened across a strangely dark-red house with a wooden door in the middle of town. My men didn't know what to do about it, so I knocked on the door as loud as I could over the gunfire.

"Hey, is anybody home?!" I called out.

"Yes!" A young woman's voice replied frightfully.

"Are you hurt, ma'am?! Are you well?!"

"No! I'm fine!" she replied.

I breathed a sigh of relief. She must've been prepared for their attack, I thought.

"But there are still three more soldiers out there, heading this way!"

I jumped as she said that. Were there really enemy soldiers that I missed? The boys didn't want to believe it, but I had to accept that it might be true.

"Let's move out!" I ordered, "There are still three more men out there! Let's take them out!"

We took positions near the woman's house, and waited for them to come. Soon enough, there really were three soldiers after all. They were looking for us, hoping to ambush us. Sadly for them, we actually caught them off guard. I charged at them without warning, hitting them quickly before they could react. My men handled everything else, and we were finished before we knew it.

Of course, I wanted to know how our trapped citizen was, so I approached the door when the gunfire subsided.

"It's safe, ma'am," I called out, "You can come out."

Then, the door opened wide slowly, and a young woman of unusual character stepped out of the house. She was dressed as if she were a gypsy…or perhaps an exotic fortuneteller, and had bangles worn near her ankles. The eye on her shirt further emphasized her strange looks. What was even more perplexing was that one of her eyes was colored opposite of her right eye.

Even though she probably did help us in some way or another, I have no idea what to make of her at all.

"Nice to meet you, sir," she said politely.

I was too baffled to speak at first. Her strangeness was just quite a sight.

"What's your name?" I asked, feeling I should at least know who she is called.

She smiled. "Isabella Hobbs."

"Miss Hobbs, how did you know there were more men out there?" I asked her, "We were sure that there were no more than twenty-seven men. Yet, you somehow knew where they are. What are you supposed to be?"

Her face became slightly serious as she noticed how confused I was.

"I'm a mystic, sir," she replied, "I may not look like much, but I have the power to sense coming hostile presence before danger can come to me. That's why I knew there were many men heading for the village before they attacked."

I had to think about this for a moment. Could she have, by any chance, warned the people ahead of time, or did everyone know as soon as she hid from danger?

"I see," I said hesitantly, "Well, the Imperials have been dealt with, so the village will be safe for a while. If you'll excuse me, Miss Hobbs, I'll have to report back to base. Take care, ma'am."

My men and I left the town, and we moved out back to the base. Once there, I gave our superiors the reports of our mission with other leaders reporting behind me. However, Miss Eleanor could tell right away that something was bothering me when my eyes lowered down to the floor with confusion.

"Something wrong, Sergeant?" she asked.

"Yes, sir," I replied, "I request permission to speak of personal matters."

"Go ahead, Sergeant," she said as she cued everyone else to leave.

"Earlier in the battlefield," I explained, "I happened across the residence of a civilian named Isabella Hobbs. Somehow, she knew that there were more soldiers than we anticipated. She detected three more that no one spotted until they came to our positions."

"You defeated them regardless?" Eleanor asked.

"Yes, sir. But something about Miss Isabella Hobbs confuses me," I replied, "She claims that she is a mystic who can detect hostile presence before they even come. I had no idea what to make of her at all. What do you know about Isabella Hobbs?"

As I stood there, Captain Eleanor walked calmly, albeit seriously toward a file cabinet regarding civilians in Gallia; then, she pulled out a folder that was printed "Isabella Hobbs" on the edges. When she sat down, she began to search in the few papers that would hold valuable information. Suddenly, she had a slight crease on her forehead when she frowned in disappointment.

"It seems we do have records regarding Miss Hobbs," Captain Eleanor explained, "She was orphaned at a very young age and raised in an orphanage between the borders of Gallia and Imperial Europan. However, no information was known about her regarding her bloodline or why she had heterochromia. There were no other records of her when she disappeared from the orphanage in her early teen years. After that, the only other information we could get about her is that she reads the future for the village we rescued from the Imperials. Other than what I have told you, there is not much regarding Miss Hobbs at all."

I was more confused than ever. Why wasn't there much information on her when she might've been in Gallia for a good amount of time now? I didn't want to push the matter any further.

"Thank you, Captain," I said, "That is all I want to know for now."

"I see," she simply replied, "You may go now. Good work, Sergeant Marsden."

As I left the office, I kept thinking about those few reports on Isabella. As far I can tell, she is a very mysterious one; for how could anyone not know so much about her despite the fact she has lived in Gallia? Could something have happened in her life that nobody knew about? I don't know. All I can do now is prepare myself for any other campaigns that would occur in the future. Maybe I could meet up with her one day, and get the truth from her.

At the very least, this chance encounter reminded me of my reason for being here. No matter what it takes, I want to protect Gallia and its people, just like my father did. I will fight for it if I have to.


	2. Chapter 2 - William Log, Entry 1

**Hello again, and welcome to Chapter 2! Last time you met Alonzo Marsden. Now, you're going to meet the sniper William Tell and see his point of view. All the chapters will be having a change of perspective via diary entries of Alonzo, William, and Isabella, so to wrap things up, enjoy chapter 2.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Valkyria Chronicles, but the story and OCs are still mine.**

**Read and review, and no flames allowed here.**

William Tell

I am William Tell, former Specialist of the Imperial Army; now a Specialist for Gallia's Squad Seven. It has been a while since I have joined the Gallian Militia. I have been talented in sniping enemies that dare try to pull off ambushes on my allies, though the job is never so easy. I joined the Gallian Militia because I wanted to repay them for the casualties I've caused in the last war when they fought to put an end to Maximilian, whom I used to fight for. I knew I could never win, which was why I surrendered peacefully at Ghirlandio. I lived, but at the cost of losing comrades who fought for the royal family. That is only the past, though. Now, I fight for what problems occur today, but with Gallia this time.

Our last mission was successful when we freed a village from the Imperials' grasp. Though, what did baffle me was when I had heard what the recruits were talking about, in regards to Sergeant Alonzo Marsden. I heard he met a woman named Isabella Hobbs, and she supposedly helped him finish the mission by informing him of more soldiers than we had calculated. He wanted to know more about this woman, but gossip said that information about her was very lacking.

We have come out today to select and ready our weapons for future skirmishes. I selected a durable sniper rifle that was recently upgraded and few grenades. I always held my flare gun for emergency reasons, and still have my ragnaid.

Alonzo, however, had interest in a different weapon. He had his eyes on the Ruhm class assault rifle. Those weapons were very rare, and the only person who ever used it was Selvaria Bles, my former Imperial general.

"Is it possible to make one of these for my size?" I heard Alonzo ask.

"It is indeed," the weapons man replied, "However, it will take quite some work. I can, however, loan you one of the medium Ruhm rifles for a little while until I can make a few tweaks on this. What say you?"

"Thanks, soldier."

No sooner did he start to leave, a peculiar person walked over to the weapons maker and requested a rifle. The woman wore a dress resembling that of a fortuneteller, and a veil worn on her head. However, she was wearing a little trace of soldier's armor on her, and her belt had the ragnaid and grenades at the ready for danger. That was when I realized that she was the woman that Alonzo met before. She had to be Isabella Hobbs.

She turned toward me as she received her rifle.

"Oh, hello!" she said brightly, "You are with Gallia, aren't you? Are you a friend of Alonzo?"

I had no idea what to say to her. I was speechless.

"Hmm, I guess you aren't very talkative, are you?"

"I am William Tell, Gallia's new Specialist," I answered, "Alonzo is our sergeant."

"Oh, I see," Isabella said to me, "Well, it's nice to meet you, William Tell."

At that moment, Alonzo approached us rapidly and was stunned when he recognized her.

"Miss Isabella!" Alonzo cried out, "What are doing here? Why are you among the Militia?"

She was mildly shocked that he asked her such questions.

"You did the village a great favor in fending off the Imperials," she replied, "so I thought I should join the cause as well. I was able to pass qualifications because of my special senses. Therefore, you should now call me Private Isabella Hobbs."

Alonzo was utterly confused.

"But I…I thought…how did you get to…?"

"She's fine, Sergeant," I decided to say in defense, "She decided her place."

Alonzo was not quite pleased when he heard me say that.

"Who do you think you're talking to, Specialist?" he asked sternly.

"Sergeant Alonzo Marsden of Squad Seven," I replied without hesitation, "I have to insist that this woman made a choice to fight for Gallia as well. It would be polite if you respect her decision. I have no desire to dissuade her, sir."

Alonzo sighed in disbelief.

"Okay, okay, if she wants to fight, I'll be fine with that," he admitted.

He turned to Isabella.

"But you must promise to be very careful on the front lines," he continued toward her, "You just got here, and you have no experience whatsoever on combat. So watch your back while you're out there, you hear me?"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Isabella said dismissively, "You don't have to be so strict."

Alonzo left us in a hasty huff to the target center, where we train with the weapons we use. I could see that Isabella was confused as to why he sounded overprotective of her. I thought I should at least explain his outbursts and get to know her, since I hardly knew her yet.

"You can't blame Sergeant Marsden for his behavior," I said to her, "There are several people who view him as very childish, despite his amazing skills."

"What got him in the Gallian Militia anyway?" she asked me.

"I heard he had an enormous grasp of military tactical strategies, and great intelligence," I continued, "He had potential to be a lieutenant, but the superiors fear that he is too impulsive and reckless. He was only fourteen when he joined the Militia, and was placed in as a sergeant."

She had an awed face when she heard what I told her. I felt compelled to change the topic nearly immediately.

"Isabella, have you learned to shoot with a gun?"

"No, I haven't used a gun before," Isabella replied sheepishly, "I've avoided trying to fight for so long, and I've never even tried to pick up a rifle. I'm new to the military stuff, you know."

I sighed deeply.

"Of course you haven't," I said, "You were just a civilian then. I'll show you how it's done."

With courtesy, I led Isabella to the target center and filled my sniper rifle with the amount of bullets necessary. Then, I helped her load hers to get her prepared. I remained calm as she waited for me to explain what I was doing.

"When using a gun, you have to use it against enemies you can reach," I instructed, "Everyone has a method of taking their opponents down. Shocktroopers get in close and dirty, lancers prefer to fire in open areas against armored targets, snipers sneak attack from hiding places at long range, scouts quickly and cautiously approach enemy lines to attack, and engineers only attack in dire defensive situations.

"In my case, I am a sniper. My job is to take down enemies in the field that are a threat to other units. I seek a specific shelter in order to shoot down my foes from afar, but I must keep out of enemy sight. Judging by your arsenal, you would be a scout. Your job is to move through the battlefield carefully to find enemies and important targets. You can attack if you have to, but you must be cautious, for you never know when a tank or groups of enemies may threaten you. That's why you have other equipment for dire need."

Isabella had an impressed tilt on her head, but I could tell she was a little confused.

"I see what you mean," she said nervously, "It just sounds scary to have to watch for enemies that would kill you."

"Before worrying about that, let's see if you can hit a target" I replied firmly, "Try shooting that target next to you."

I stood and watched as Isabella picked up her rifle, and struggled to hold it in place to hit the center circle. She started to shake as she tried to figure out how to use it.

"What am I supposed to do again?" I heard her say to herself.

She searched nervously for the safety lock to her rifle, and slowly pulled on the trigger without realizing it. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out and Isabella tumbled backward from recoil. The bullet failed to hit the middle, but I could see that she did hit somewhere.

"You shot a little too soon, Miss," I criticized calmly, "But I could see you were close. You were able to hit the third ring out from the center, though."

"You think, William?" she asked as I helped her up, "Let me see how you hit the target."

I couldn't refuse her request, so I readied my rifle for the shot, and held it high enough as a sniper should. Then, I pulled the trigger without hesitation, and the gunshot happened. The bullet hit smack-dab into the bulls-eye, near flawlessly.

She was amazed when she saw that.

"Wow, you really can hit an enemy in a jiffy!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I am a sniper," I replied, "It's my job to hit quickly and accurately."

"I have to wonder, though," she said curiously, "You used to do this stuff before, haven't you? If you knew how to snipe so well, you would've worked with the military before."

That statement hit a raw nerve. I didn't want to tell her about my time in the Imperial Army, nor what I did to the Gallian people that I fought against. It became too painful after my time in prison was served. Anyone could say it holds bad memories for me now.

"It's…too hard to say," I replied sadly.

Unsure if she had hurt my feelings, she started to walk away.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings," she said nervously, "I think I'll go…look around the base. I have to get the lay of the land."

She walked off elsewhere to explore the base as I turned to practice shooting. Even though I am still doing excellently, I could not shake off what Isabella said when she guessed that I was in the military before. I couldn't believe I had to hear that notion of my past life again.

I could still remember that time in Ghirlandio when our numbers were worn down very thin by the advances of the Gallian Militia. There was few of my squad members left when a great army finally trapped us at the very fort. They insisted that we surrender at once if we wanted to live. I quietly put my gun down, and held my hands to my head, waiting to be taken away. Few of my close comrades, though, tried to keep fighting…and perished. I saw it myself as I was led away to prison.

After that, I spent two years in prison. It was unbearable, since I was alone in a small space, and had to deal with a few people verbally tormenting me. One in particular was a man who claimed to be a captain, but I knew he had no qualifications to be one. All I saw was a rich scumbag who knows not how painful war really was.

I lived peacefully after I was released, until word came throughout Gallia that more trouble has been occurring between the Atlantic Federation and the Imperial Empire. Out of many people, I was one of those who answered the call to arms. I was one of the eldest of the new recruits, but my sniping talents did perk the superiors' interests.

Putting that aside, I have begun to question if I indeed will have a greater role in the skirmishes to come. Is my fate perhaps intertwined not only with Sergeant Marsden, but with Isabella as well? All I can do is wait and find out.


	3. Chapter 3 - Isabella Log, Entry 1

**Hello for the third time, and welcome to Chapter 3. This is where you get to witness the perspective of the mysterious Isabella Hobbs. As I said before, this story consists of journal entries told from the point of view of the three OCs. So, without further ado, enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Valkyria Chronicles, but I do own this story and the OCs**

**Please, read and review, and don't flame me.**

Isabella Hobbs

I'm Isabella Hobbs, former mystic of Gallia. Now I am Private Isabella Hobbs. I must admit it's my first time being in the military. However, it should be known that I wanted to join the Militia because I want to help them protect Gallia, if only a little bit.

I do want to say right now that it was very strange and interesting to meet Alonzo Marsden and William Tell for the first time. Actually, I met Alonzo earlier when the village I was living in was under attack. I knew there was danger, and when they came, I ended up helping them catch any stragglers left. Sergeant Alonzo's gallantry was what got me to join the Gallian Militia in the first place, after all. Though, the sergeant was very startled to see me at their base. William was actually very nice, but something about him was very strange. He is fighting with Gallia, yet he isn't Gallian himself. I asked him if he had been in the military before, but I felt that I hurt his feelings when he showed a twinge of mental pain. So, I thought I should leave him alone and look around.

I wandered around the base, looking at every place I could stick my nose into until I spotted a funny man with a book and art tools. He was sketching a bird that was near him as it hopped along the ground, looking around for something. The man looked like a soldier, but the way he was eagerly sketching in his book, I'd say he doesn't act like one.

I approached him curiously to see who it was. When I did get closer, my footsteps caught his attention, and he partially turned to my direction.

"Hello there, ma'am," he said brightly.

"Hi, mister," I replied, "What are you doing?"

He smiled as he pointed toward the bird I saw with him.

"You see that little fellow?" he asked, "That's not an ordinary bird. That is what we know as the Diamond Sparrow. If one looks closely, the edges of their wings seem to glimmer like little diamonds in the sky. The glimmers also draw in unsuspecting insects, making them think there is light nearby. That's how it lures its prey in effectively."

I was amazed at how well he knew about the little bird…I mean, that Diamond Sparrow over there. He had to have been studying nature for years.

The one thing I forgot, though, was to ask for his name.

"Excuse me for asking, but can I know your name, mister?" I asked.

He turned with a face that clearly forgot about manners when I came up to him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think about introducing myself," he replied, "The name's Welkin Gunther, lieutenant of the Gallian Militia. Or, at least I was a lieutenant."

I was amazed. I think I heard of him when I lived in the village as a mystic. He was a legend as far as I had heard, having really aided in the struggle against the Imperials when they invaded Gallia. I remembered how he operated a weapon that stood strong against anything that was thrown at it, and their resistance against even those who were messing with Gallia itself, and especially when they defeated Maximilian once and for all.

"What's your name, ma'am?" he asked.

I jumped as I realized I was lost in thought.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Welkin," I replied in embarrassment, "Isabella Hobbs is my name. I have been recruited as Private Hobbs."

"Isabella? That is an exotic name," he said with a hint of fascination.

He then got up, turned around, and faced me personally.

"What made you decide to join the Gallian Militia?" he asked with intrigue.

"Well, a young sergeant saved the village I lived in," I replied, "I wanted to help out in any way I can, so I signed up and joined the Militia. I already told the captain that I can detect danger ahead of time, so you could say I can be of high benefits."

We laughed like it was a silly matter.

"I guess the captain didn't know what to make of you," Welkin said while still laughing, "Speaking of which, has there been changes in the Militia's base? Where's the captain's office now? I couldn't find it anywhere."

"Oh, yeah, about that," I replied, "The captain's office is moved to the far left side of the building. It's just down the hall at the second to last door."

He jumped as soon as he had a realization come unto him.

"Oh, no! I was supposed to meet up with Captain Eleanor to discuss matters of the Gallian skirmishes!" Welkin panicked, "I completely forgot about that!"

He turned to head for the office, and began to rush hastily to the door not far off.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Hobbs!" he called while running off, "I'd better hurry at once!"

As soon as he was gone, I was the only one standing in the yard. Though I felt I shouldn't stay for long, since we might have another meeting soon. I returned to the armory to meet up with everyone else, since I had nothing else to do after all. When I got there, I could see everyone was indeed talking about many subjects – from the latest gossip of the villages to the news of the issues within the Federation – that can be heard anywhere. One of them, though, was a very different topic.

"Hey, did you hear about those strange troopers roaming in Gallia?" one recruit asked.

"Yeah, I did," another soldier replied, "There have been many reports that a troop of rogue soldiers have been spotted throughout Gallia. No one knows who they belong to."

"I heard that there was no confirmation about whose country they're fighting for," said the recruit.

"That's true, no one knows for sure," the soldier agreed, "but what makes me curious is that they never bothered to attack us immediately. Some people are thinking that they're waiting for the right time to strike against us."

I began to tremble at that. I had the horrible feeling about what it is they were talking about, but I just didn't want to say it out loud.

"You okay, Private?"

I turned to see Rosie Starks standing beside me. She apparently was a little concerned.

"I'm fine," I lied weakly.

She wasn't buying what I said.

"I know it's about those rumors," Rosie said seriously, "We can't be too sure who they are. Researching them is a hectic task. Don't worry about it, though. We'll find out who they really are very soon, so don't fret about the meager gossip."

"Okay," was all I could say.

"By the way, the name's Rosie. Don't forget it," Rosie notified.

She left quickly before I could say anything else. Things suddenly became busier when an officer called for all troops to gather. Everyone joined together, wondering what might be going on at this time. Obviously, everyone was confused about what's going on, but nothing could be done to clear it all up. Once everybody gathered up, the officer began to make his announcement.

"Alright, soldiers," the officer announced aloud, "I've got an important message from the captain herself. We have Imperial and Federation troops getting prepared to meet to the south in our beloved Gallia, and are about to battle near one of our towns. We are told that we are to prepare for battle against both armies, but we were short on aid.

"Therefore," he continued, "we have received an answer to our call from our very own former lieutenant of the Seventh Squad, Welkin Gunther, and have brought over the weapon used in the last war against the Imperials. Come on over, Lieutenant."

No sooner did the officer say this, Welkin stepped out in his uniform and stood diligently before every awed recruit and soldier in the room. I saw Alonzo with wide eyes on the man, and began to excitedly write down his awes. William just calmly waits for orders to be carried out, while the veterans smiled eagerly at the thought of meeting up with an old friend.

"Good afternoon, all of you," Welkin greeted calmly, "I heard that all of you – veterans and recruits alike – have been dealing with many skirmishes against either countries. Now, my time apparently arrived to lend a hand, and lead all of you to fight against greater threats."

Murmurs and silence were found in the room simultaneously. Welkin sighed deeply.

At that moment, I suddenly felt myself searching for a terrible presence within Gallia. I could see many hostile auras down to the south of the country, and getting increasingly hateful. I soon had a vision of a terrible battle that would begin near the town.

"Private! Private, are you alright?" one of the soldiers asked.

Alonzo also was standing by me.

"Hey! Isabella! Snap out of it!" Alonzo cried in worry.

William said nothing, but he supported me as I was wobbling like an ill child.

"I felt many strong hostile presences," I gasped, "One is red…one is green…and they are filled with hate. They will attack at night in two days."

The officer announcing turned to my direction utterly confused.

"What's that, Private?"

Welkin developed a feeling that something is going on. He came down to hear what the problem was.

"Did you say you sensed something hostile?" he asked.

"Yes, there are," I replied while regaining stability, "It has to be them. The Imperials and Federation are on the move."

Welkin, in the midst of the confused and doubtful soldiers, was actually taking what I said very seriously. It was rather strange considering we had hardly met.

"If what Private Hobbs says is true," Welkin declared, "then we'd best get ourselves ready posthaste. Let's gear up and move out!"

Everyone began to hastily grab their gear and prepare to move out immediately. The weapons makers were naturally busy handing out their guns and other goods, and the trucks were revved up for action once more. Everyone piled into the trucks, including myself, Alonzo, and William. Soon enough, we were riding down south of Gallia to meet against two enemies at once. I fear it will be terrible if we dare meet them directly.


	4. Chapter 4 - Alonzo Log, Entry 2

**And here we are in yet another chapter. Things are getting more interesting this time around, so let's see how they plan to deal with the situation at this time. Come in, read, and enjoy my work.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Valkyria Chronicles, except for this fanfic and the OCs**

**Read, enjoy, review, but no flaming me.**

Alonzo Marsden

The ride down south took until evening to arrive. Of course, riding in a truck crammed with soldiers who'll be fighting is worse than being crowded in a hall with hundreds of active people. I could tell right away that William was already uncomfortable with the amount of space inside. That always was annoying, especially when he trembles with displeasure at this.

"William, can't you get a grip?" I asked irritably, "We have to ride these to get somewhere."

"Too cramped…too cramped…" William kept muttering.

Rosie was curious as to why William was shaking.

"What's gotten into William?" Rosie asked.

"William doesn't like tight places," Largo replied, "I heard that it happened several years ago while in prison. William was kept in a small prison cell since his capture. He didn't like it a lot, because there was hardly any other space inside. After a while, it developed into a phobia. Ever since then, he has been intensely claustrophobic."

I could see that Isabella had pity for him, and…well…I had to feel bad for him as well. I wouldn't like it myself if I was claustrophobic.

We had arrived in the town that sent the message to us. We took some time evacuating the civilians before setting up our temporary camp. Once we have settled down, a few of us – consisting of Rosie Starks, Largo Potter, William Tell, Isabella Hobbs, and I - met up with Welkin to determine our best strategy to take down both armies.

"So, what are we up against?" Largo asked aloud.

"Well, it looks like we have two armies to battle at once," Welkin sighed as he analyzed the formations on the map, "It's going to be a difficult one, though. If we try to set up defenses to repel both forces, we will be wiped out and overwhelmed very quickly. We'll have to find other means to fight them off."

I turned to Isabella for answers to this problem.

"Hey, Isabella," I said to her, "Did you say you sensed the hostile presences? How many can you see ahead of us?"

Isabella turned in the direction of the gate. She focused herself until hints of foresight began to actively search the land.

"There are two hostile forces," she replied while focusing out there, "One is the Imperial forces, and the other is the Federation's troops. They are getting ready for battle near the gates. And…wait! I sense another force out there."

We – Welkin, William, and I – glanced at each other. None of us knew what was going on.

"There's another army out there?" Welkin asked.

"Yes, but they're not making a move," Isabella replied, "It's like they are staying away from the fight to come."

We glanced at each other again, and back to Isabella. Then, we turned back to the map to take another look.

"Does anyone have an idea what we should do for this battle?" Welkin asked.

"I had a thought, sir," William replied, "What if I infiltrated the Imperial forces, and used them to fight the Federation with us temporarily, and then have the men quietly surrendered to us?"

"Are you crazy, Specialist?!" I cried in protest.

"How did you come up with an idea that insane?" Rosie asked doubtfully.

Welkin, I could see, was actually giving it some thought.

"In retrospect, I heard you used to be in the Imperial forces," he said to William, "You used to be their Specialist. Is that what you plan to do?"

"It is a risky move, I understand," William replied, "but that's why I brought my old uniform. If I wear this among them, they will recognize me and follow my orders to the letter. I know the Imperial armies better than anyone else, so I'm willing to take the risk this time around. If you don't mind, I want you to keep them busy until I have infiltrated them. After that, I'll give all of you the cue to move out and attack at once."

We had to think about it a moment. I could understand that William really means to do this if it can save our skins a little, but we still are at risk. On the other hand, it seemed that we have no other option to use.

"All right, then, Specialist Tell," I answered boldly, "I propose we move by your plan. Our objective shall be to use the Imperial army until the Federation has been wiped out from the field. William shall infiltrate via using his old identity, and attempt to take command of the troops. Once he gives us the signal to advance, we move out and meet them head on."

Rosie and Largo jumped at my speech.

"Are you serious, Sergeant?!" they shouted.

"Yes," I replied sternly.

"Then, I guess our strategy has been laid out already," Welkin agreed, "We'll get ready to move out when we find an opening for Specialist William Tell to slip through. First, though, a distraction will have to be set up in order to do so."

He looked up to all of us with the utmost confidence.

"Well, let's get ready to move out," he announced, "Everyone take your positions!"

At once, we moved with haste to find our place on the walls and by the gate. Rifles and tanks at the ready, we waited carefully for the opportunity to perform our charge. William backed away from the group to slip his Imperial uniform on, and moved to a hole in the battered passageway. I was settled with a nervous Isabella as we waited for our chance.

I looked at her when she began to shake.

"You okay?" I asked with concern.

"I'm sorry, I'm just nervous," she replied.

I turned back to the gate as we waited for the two forces to begin meeting at the field of battle. Soon enough, I could see tanks and soldiers moving out in the night. Most of them were heading for the federation troops, but only a select few are coming for us. It's time to face our first challenge yet.


	5. Chapter 5 - William Log, Entry 2

**Hi, and sorry of this chapter is too short for comfort; it has to be expected if someone was writing a journal before, during, or after a battle. I hope you readers will understand.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Valkyria Chronicles, but this fic and the OCs are mine.**

**Read, review, and no flames.**

William Tell

The plan has been set in motion. No sooner did a few Imperial troops approach our squad positioned at the gate, I slipped out to meet the other squadrons via the passage. I managed to slip into the group, and indentify which of the tanks was leading the pack. Then, I snuck through them all, and climbed aboard to give them my own greetings.

As soon as I entered, I shot down the officer in charge and entered what my order would've been if I actually was with them.

"All of you, you are now under the command of Imperial Specialist William Tell," I declared aloud, "You will obey my orders. We will be joining forces with the Seventh Squad of the Gallian Militia. Prepare to move out with them at my command."

"Sir, yes, sir!" all the soldiers responded in confirmation.

I grabbed the communication device, and began to carry out what I wanted to do.

"All Gallian forces! This is William Tell," I called, "The Imperial Army is now willing to fight alongside for a moment to take out the Federation scum. You may advance when ready."

"Very well, Specialist," I heard Welkin reply over his walkie-talkie, "We're moving out. All units advance!"

Everything was going according to plan. The Gallian Militia and the Imperial Army began to advance harshly against the Federation Army, with a decent amount of power at that. The enemy hardly had time to respond to the Militia, and everyone else was getting confused. I could see that the Edelweiss was able to attack and move out at an impressive speed as well.

"Sir! We are receiving transmission from a Private Hobbs and Sergeant Marsden!" the soldier driving the tank called, "Do you wish to answer it, sir?"

"Put them through!" I ordered.

I picked up the walkie-talkie, and clicked the button.

"Specialist Tell here," I said sternly.

"Nice to hear you, Specialist!" Alonzo replied loudly, "We have managed to wipe out many of the troops from without. But there are still more hiding inside the circle of tanks."

"I sense a good fortune if we take out the scouts hiding in the shield of tanks," Isabella added, "The enemy seems afraid of sending more of their troops out there to fight us, and think they have the rest of their squad safe. However, there is a little gap within their defenses. Want us to take them out before you destroy the tanks?"

"Go right ahead, Gallian pest," I pretended to agree reluctantly, "Take them out."

"Alright!" I could hear Alonzo cry out excitedly.

I shook my head at it. After much time with the young sergeant, I've gotten used to the fact that he is eager to fight for a cause he thought was right. It was how he was, after all.

The fight should be over soon. I hope everyone comes out alright.


	6. Chapter 6 - Isabella Log, Entry 2

**Okay, this chapter should be longer than the last, but all the same, please enjoy the story by all means. In this chapter, we get a very interesting twist in the story. What's going to happen? I'm not going to spoil it.**

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Valkyria Chronicles, but this story and the OCs are mine.**

**Read and review, but no flames.**

Isabella Hobbs

I almost had a scare when we entered the battlefield. Alonzo and I, along with a few troopers, worked our way to infiltrate the formation the tanks have done to protect the rest of the infantry trying to cower inside. We have managed to slip in, thanks to the firepower that gave us a gap in their defenses. However, that was when Alonzo did something very rash.

"Let's get in there, and shoot the scumbags down!" Alonzo cried eagerly.

"Alonzo, watch out for the scouts!" I warned him.

"Relax, Private. I don't need to dodge!" he said overconfidently.

However, as soon as he began charging out there to meet the enemy, the scouts got frightened and began shooting at us and Alonzo. One of the scouts seemed to have shot right at our sergeant. He got hit, and fell to the ground. I panicked as soon as I saw it, and ran over to help him…if at all.

"Alonzo! Are you alright?!" I screamed.

When I managed to get to Alonzo's side, he was struggling to get up and groaning.

"Whoa, they almost got me," he moaned.

I looked closely at his helmet, and noticed a dent in it from the bullet. I had a feeling that the bullet must have ricocheted off his helmet, and only caused him to fall over intact.

"C'mon, we gotta finish this once and for all," he reminded me.

I helped him back on his feet, and we resumed our charge. I attempted to use a grenade against them, but I almost let it blow up on us. Fortunately, my panic caused me to throw it hard enough to send it flying to the wheel of the tank and explode behind plenty of the enemy troops. Alonzo took out a good number of troops with his special rifle, while everyone else handled their roles well.

In no time at all, we succeeded in diminishing the Federation army and forcing them to surrender. Then, the Imperial Army stopped and turned toward William. That was when our dear sniper revealed his true self before his confused men.

"Sorry, my fellow comrades, but I'm with the Gallian Militia," William confessed, "I merely took control of you all to eliminate one of the threats that stood in our way. Now that the battle is over, I command that all of you surrender to the Gallians. They have won this fight, and you have no chance against them anyway."

Seeing no point in trying to fight since they all were exhausted from the loss of their own comrades, laid down their arms, and gave in to us. After that, we were able to return to base. A new day has dawned, but the clouds in the sky make me fear it won't be peaceful for long.

Later

A couple days passed since that battle.

Ever since that victory, things have become cheerful. Everyone was chatting happily about it, but I decided to have a little space for myself. I never thought I'd actually be able to fight on the front lines so well. Then again, if it weren't for my premonitions, we never would have won. And William and Alonzo really helped in every way. I was so proud of them.

However, something really disturbed me. Why was there another hostile force out there? If they really were hostile, then why haven't they attacked at the greatest opportunity?

Just then, William came over to me. He seemed very concerned about me.

"You okay, Isabella?" he asked.

I hesitated to answer him.

"I just…needed to think things over a bit."

"You're lying, Isabella," William hinted at me firmly, "I can tell that you're hiding something from all of us."

I sighed sadly.

"You really want to know that badly?" I asked.

"What's going on?" Alonzo piped in curiously.

I grimaced at Alonzo. He jolted in shock.

"Sorry."

I took a deep breath, and struggled to think about where to begin.

"Sergeant, you asked the captain about me, right?" I questioned.

Alonzo jolted in fright. "Yes. Captain Eleanor was disappointed about the lack of information about you. All she knew was that you were an orphan, and you had heterochromia…and you were only known by the small villages as a great mystic that told fortunes for the people. That's about it."

"Well, that's not all there is to me," I explained sadly, "You see, the reason I have heterochromia is because it is a special trait that I, among few other special orphans, have. My ability to detect anything hostile was a talent that has never been heard of before among many mixed bloods. I, too, am one of the mixed bloods."

"What's your point?" William asked.

"The truth is..." I confessed hesitantly, "I…I am half Gallian, half Darcsen."

William and Alonzo jolted in shock. They had no idea what to make of this at all.

"I had a feeling there was something fishy about you," Alonzo admitted, "I thought you were just a funny woman with a strange gift, but I never knew what you really are."

"There must have been a reason you have been hiding this fact all this time," William agreed.

At that moment, Rosie happened to step in on the conversation.

"I knew there was something funny about you," Rosie said in a serious manner, "Your own personality and appearance always reminded me of a friend I knew. She, too, was a Darcsen, like you. You, however, were something completely different. You had something none of the other Darcsen could ever have, and we're lucky you came to help us all the same."

"What's Welkin going to say about all this?" Alonzo muttered as he walked away.

When Alonzo and Rosie left, only William and I were left alone. He kept staring at me, as if he guessed about what was going on.

"I can understand why you hid your real bloodline from us," William said to me, "You weren't sure if we would accept you then. I was curious as to why you were so different, though."

"William, I…"

"No need to say any more," he calmly interrupted, "To be honest, I feared being shunned as well. It turned out that many Gallians hated me while I was in prison. That changed once the war was over. The small farming community I chose to live in was the first to accept my stay in Gallia. After a while, I was treated like an actual Gallian than an Imperial scum, even though I had Imperial Europan blood in me."

I was moved by what William had been saying, and wanted to say something to sympathize with him when an unexpected call for attention rang up. Instead of the usual officer, it was Captain Eleanor herself who was calling for all of us.

"All members of Squad Seven, we have an urgent problem afoot!" she announced, "We had just received information that a squad of Imperial and Federation forces have been mysteriously annihilated by an unknown force. Transmissions read that they were proceeding toward their destination to the southeast of us, but then panic broke out as if something had attacked both of them without warning. No one knows the cause of the sudden cut of transmission afterward."

Every soldier began to murmur in confusion as to what all this had meant.

"For now, we plan to operate an investigation," she continued, "I will have a select number of you head out to the southeast in Gallia, and look into the sudden genocide. Proceed carefully, though. None of us know what danger is coming to us this time. Once you have discovered the cause of the massacre, report back at once, and we'll prepare for the battle to come."

At once, she ordered us to move out. No sooner did she finish, another officer called for a certain number of troops to take in this mission. Alonzo, William and I were among the chosen ones for the task. However, somehow I felt like I don't want to go at all.

William could tell right away what was up.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

My voice was shaking, though. I have a feeling that I am about to meet face to face with something that I have tried so hard to forget.


	7. Chapter 7 - Alonzo Log, Entry 3

**Excuse me for waiting a while. Here's yet another chapter, and there's suspense. Plus, you get to hear something that you might deem unthinkable. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Valkyria Chronicles; but I own the OCs.**

**Read, review, comment, but no flaming.**

Alonzo Marsden

Just when I was heading out with everyone else, I was stopped by an acquaintance of mine.

"Wait a minute, Alonzo," the weapons maker said, "I managed to finish the adjustments. The Ruhm class rifle should be easier to hold in your own hands this time."

I was amazed at this. He was able to make the gun small enough to let me handle with little weight to bear as possible. I was very pleased with it.

"Thanks, sir," I accepted gladly, "I'll use it well."

I handed the medium rifle back to him in the meantime, and moved out with my new rifle in hand. Once a good number of us were loaded, we were riding through Gallia to reach our destination. I could see the landscape at first in a fresh and peaceful manner, until we had reached the southeastern region, where it reeked of smoke and burnt soldiers.

It was when we disembarked that we saw the full picture of the horror before us. Tanks and trucks were scorched and burning intensely from a massive fire and the land was covered in burns and strange elements among them. No flags of either army were found. Many soldiers were dead, but there were few that barely survived. I could easily smell something evil afoot, because what I saw in the site was not human at all.

A painful moan was heard not far from here. I turned to see a soldier struggling to get up, but he was badly injured. I ran over to him, and held him up the best I could.

"What happened?" I asked, "Where's your squadron?"

William and Isabella gathered beside me to hear everything.

"The army...we were caught off guard," the soldier said weakly, "I saw them. Those...those soldiers...they weren't human. They just...wiped out so many of us."

"Did you see what happened?" William asked.

"I don't know," the soldier replied, "It all...happened so fast...We had no time to take action. They used...strange skills I never...seen before. I don't know...what they are."

Another soldier crawled over to his comrade.

"I saw them," he answered, "They had...a symbol...like an eye on their uniforms. They called themselves...the Sable Eye. It's not the name that terrified me...it was their abilities."

I looked around to see why. Everything they said was indeed true.

"Search for survivors!" I ordered some of our troopers, "If they are still alive, get them into one of our trucks. Tend to any who are wounded."

At once, a good number of our men hurried out to search for any soldier who is still alive, be it Imperial or Federation. There were few survivors, however, as a good number of the soldiers were already dead. Either way, if we could save at least one life, that's just fine.

Suddenly, I had a chill down my spine. I turned to the smoke coming from what was left of the Imperial army's tank platoons. Several figures were walking toward us. The first that appeared was a man with a heterochromic eye, like Isabella. The second was a man taller and bigger than him, carrying a lance with ease. The third was a man with two hair colors. The woman, however, was a shock for me; she had white hair with one blind eye and one red colored eye. Somehow, I had a feeling this is no ordinary gang we're dealing with here.

The man at the lead walked a little further until he stopped a few paces from us. He smiled with false innocence.

"I found you at last," he said.

None of us understood what he meant. At first I thought he meant us, but then I realized that it was Isabella he was staring at more than the rest of us.

Isabella trembled with fright and hate mixed inside her.

"It can't...really be you," she said faintly.

"Of course it's me. Don't you remember?" the man replied, "Genesis Reginald, that's my name. I have looked everywhere for you, Isabella."

I turned in shock. How did he know Isabella's name? I saw her turn away furiously, showing that she is trying to deny that she knew him.

"You've no idea how long I've tried to forget about you," Isabella said angrily.

The man – now known as Genesis – began to walk toward Isabella, and what he had to say was a major shock for each of us.

"Don't you remember several years ago as children?" Genesis asked, "We used to be close back then, but when I had a dream that I wanted to share with you, you ran away and left me alone. We have looked for you for a long time."

"I never wanted to be with you after what you said about the other folk in Europa!" Isabella protested.

I was heavily confused.

"What's going on?!" I cried in confusion.

"You must have forgotten, Isabella, that I, too, am a mixed blood," Genesis continued, "I have the power to find other members of mixed bloods, like you. While living in the midst of the war between Gallia and the Imperial Alliance, I had thought about our kind: No one truly understood anything about us at all. We had special gifts, but many people fear us for it. The Darcsen blood inside us and our own powers was the true cause of us being called 'outsiders' among themselves.

"But our time of living in isolation is over. I have decided to fix this problem. If Europa will not accept us, then we might as well create a new world. The Ragnagun will put an end to the monsters. Once they are out of the way, we can make the world the way you want it, Isabella. Do you understand me? I'm doing this for you."

He was about to reach out to Isabella as if to affectionately touch her, but William impulsively slapped his hand away.

"Stay away from Private Hobbs," William ordered.

Genesis stepped back when he finally took attention to us. He sighed angrily, and shook his head.

"So, she is with you Gallian fools, hm?" he took note of our group, "Very well, have it your way, then."

I was really irritated with the way he called us 'monsters' and 'fools' every time. I pulled out my Ruhm rifle and attempted to shoot at Genesis. However, the woman got in front and used her shield to deflect my shots. I was shocked to see that she interfered with my chance to hit him.

"You will not hurt my master," she said seriously.

Genesis turned when he realized what I tried to do.

"I forgot to mention something," he said, "If you really do try to get in the way of our goals, we will not hesitate to destroy you."

The woman began to glow blue all around her, and her right eye turned completely red. The strange sword she had in her hand suddenly surge with a flame I somehow recognized. I remembered how another woman had the same powers, and used it to wipe out many soldiers…including my father. How she happened to have those powers, I don't know for sure.

Instead of aiming for us, however, she swished her sword in another direction and the blast made massive destruction over a hill far off from our position. We were all shocked at the sight of the power.

I couldn't let it falter me, though. We had to get out of here, now.

"Everyone, get back in the trucks!" I ordered, "We've got to get outta here! Now!"

With great haste, everyone fled to the trucks and got ready to leave. William had to pull Isabella with us to get her to move. Once all our troops got inside, we took off, leaving the strangers behind.

Once we were inside, though, I glared harshly at Isabella. I was confused enough with the so-called Sable Eye group destroying many Imperial troops, but I never knew that she was acquainted with one of them. I wanted to know what the meaning of it was once and for all.

"Isabella, what's going on here?" I asked stressfully, "Who were those guys, and what's with this Genesis?! How does he know about you?!"

She tried to speak, but her voice was choked by her sobbing in distraught. I softened in guilt when I realized how hard I was on her.

William looked at me in disappointment.

"We'll find out when we get back," he said, "For now, let's leave her alone."

I had to agree. Maybe now was not a good time to know. Our superiors will have to know first, and then everyone else will learn in their own time. However, I fear one thing for sure. Lieutenant Welkin and Captain Eleanor are not going to like this…not one bit.


	8. Chapter 8 - William Log, Entry 3

**Hey there. I'm back after some time of straying off. Anyway, here's a new chapter for you to read and...well, are things getting more suspenseful for you? If so, then good. Because I love the idea of suspense on the readers. Sort of. Enjoy!**

**None of the characters belong to me except for the OCs.**

**Read to your heart's content and review this, but don't flame me.**

William Tell

I admit it was my first time feeling that much fright. I never thought that we would face something much worse than the Imperial and Federation armies put together. The Sable Eye…that name of the group has never been heard of. And this Genesis…is he a mixed blood as well? Who were those people with him? And what is this Ragnagun?

We are all waiting for Isabella as she was escorted to the captain's office to tell what she knows of the people we met earlier. Alonzo paced around in a circle impatiently, while I sat on the floor with a mat under me. Rosie and Largo were debating what they heard from the few soldiers who accompanied us to the site of the slaughter. Everyone else is trying to remain calm about today's event, but I could tell they were immensely nervous. None of us know what awaits us this time.

We all turned once we saw Isabella enter with Welkin and Eleanor following behind her. Whatever it is they heard, I could tell that the two were not exactly happy about what transpired this time.

"Could everyone gather together now?" Eleanor called out to all of us.

All of our troops clustered together to hear the recent news. Alonzo and I got closer up to hear it better. Isabella stood beside Welkin in fear as he stepped forward next to Eleanor.

"Everyone, I heard what you have found at the site," Captain Eleanor started, "It is truly a terror we have never seen in our whole life. However, what really disturbed us is the name of our new enemy in Gallia…the Sable Eye. From what information we have obtained so far, it is confirmed that they are indeed mixed bloods and their abilities are inhuman. However, there was one thing that really confused us: the Ragnagun. We have no idea what on earth it is, or what it can do if brought into the world."

"That's why we asked Private Isabella to tell us what she knows about all this," Welkin continued, "We chose to have her explain who the unusual mixed bloods are, and what the Ragnagun is. Please, tell us everything."

Isabella stepped up nervously, and trembled in fear.

"Those people we met are breeds of mixed bloods that have special traits and abilities," she explained, "the ones I know have a mix of Darcsen and one other bloodline. Their leader was an orphan I knew years ago called Genesis Reginald. Ever since we were children, Genesis always proclaimed that he and I are close, and that he knows I hope for peace in the world. During the war between Gallia and the Imperial Europan, Genesis one day came to me with an idea of using an ancient weapon to put an end to the continuing wars.

"This weapon he told me about was none other than the Ragnagun," Isabella continued, "The name has never been brought up for centuries, but what I heard about it was too terrible to bear. It was said that a thousand years ago, when the fight between the Darcsen and the Valkyrians were at its peak, a team of researchers wanted to construct a weapon that could annihilate their enemy completely. They worked rigorously to construct a mechanical, moving gun that is powered by a nearly unlimited amount of ragnite. It was designed to only be controlled by those who have the blood of the Darcsen in their veins. When they did finish it, a fear developed that it would be dangerous for anyone, even themselves, to use. That's why it was shut away and closed off for good…to protect all Europa."

One soldier was confused. "You mean none of this has been written in the records?"

"Yes. None of this has ever been told to anyone," Isabella replied, "Because the Darcsen thought it best to succumb to the enemy than let millions of people die. That's why everyone thinks the Valkyrians were the ones who were the heroes."

Many of the soldiers began to murmur in worry. Alonzo, I could see, was gripping his hands tightly as if extremely anxious about what he heard. Our dear veterans, though, were intent on listening to the rest of the story.

"Yet, somehow, Genesis got a hold of the information related to that weapon," Welkin continued from there, "We have been told that Genesis and the Sable Eye have discovered the location of the unused weapon between the borders of the Atlantic Federation and Imperial Europa. He and his army intend to uncover this weapon, activate it, and use it to destroy all of the countries on this continent."

"That sums up the briefing of our new enemy," Eleanor finished, "Are all of you clear about this?"

"Yes, sir!" all of us responded.

"Good. I'll be calling a select few to meet with me later," Eleanor said, "You're dismissed, for now."

Everyone dispersed at once when the meeting finished. However, I could tell that many of them are frightened at what they have been told about the weapon's power.

Alonzo and I, though, never moved from where we stood. We waited until Isabella has been led back to us by Welkin's gentle hand. I saw how she horribly lamented what she had experienced when her hands began to tremble violently.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

She didn't answer.

"If I was utterly rude to yell at you, I'm sorry," Alonzo apologized very sadly, "I was very confused about everything that happened, and I never knew how much your past hurts you."

"It's okay, Sergeant Alonzo," Isabella replied weakly.

"No, really, I mean it," Alonzo insisted, "I never understood why you showed hate for that guy. He was a real jerk for wanting to kill people just to get what you want."

"Alonzo, did I hear right that something bothered you, too?" Welkin asked in Alonzo's direction, "I heard from Largo that the woman among the Sable Eye made you remember about another person like her."

Alonzo was silent for a brief moment.

"Yeah, it was her," he replied, "That woman…she had the powers of a Valkyrur. Just like Selvaria Bles, the woman who killed my father at Ghirlandio. I couldn't believe it myself. When I saw what she did, I just had a picture of that woman before her in my mind."

"Who were those people with him, anyway?" I asked.

"I guess we'll have to find out," Welkin replied.

That was when a soldier called for me, Alonzo, Isabella, and Welkin to meet Captain Eleanor at once. It was our cue to get going. Once we were inside her office, it could be seen that she was really serious this time.

"Nice to see you all again," Eleanor said, "I called you in to review our enemies at hand."

"Is it to prepare for battle against the Sable Eye?" I asked without hesitating.

"You're quite right, Specialist," Eleanor replied, "I have called you few here in order to determine what foes we're dealing with before pursuing the leader. I also need to see if any of you can identify the officers that have been on current reports."

We noticed right away that she had several folders on her desk, each with a name. She opened each one, and we could see the photos and available information written in the documents.

"Wow, those guys know how to stand out, don't they?" Alonzo asked curiously.

"These three individuals have been identified as the leading officers of the Sable Eye," Captain Eleanor explained, "The first officer is Odin, who has been seen to have superhuman strength and can use anything heavier than himself with ease. The second one is Jagger Stapleton, who is rumored to have a means to prevent us from using our weapons against him. The third is…oh, this makes me shudder at the thought…none other than Scarlett Briggs, who apparently has the bloodline of both the Darcsen and the Valkyrur."

"You want us to prepare for assault against each opponent?" I questioned without faltering.

"Yes, but proceed carefully," Eleanor replied, "These foes are not a normal in every way."

"That's quite fine; Captain," Welkin said hesitantly, "but we don't know who we'll be challenging first. Do you have any ideas?"

"Considering what has been observed," Eleanor replied, "our first opponent is most likely going to be against Odin. His troops consist of lancers, and a good number of other soldiers. However, he seems to lack a necessary amount of tanks…probably because he believes tanks cause too much damage to the field. Either way, he will be difficult to approach."

I turned to Isabella, who has been silent for quite a while.

"Isabella, did you know Odin as well?" I asked.

"Yes, I know plenty about him," Isabella replied, "Odin was in the orphanage along with Genesis and me, though he was taller and stronger than all of us. I remember how he easily takes down any man who offends him, but he just can't bring himself to hurt women. That's why he would do everything in his own power to not let women get hurt in a fight."

"Sounds like Odin is gentle at heart," Alonzo commented.

"Odds are, considering we have a few women in our group," I predicted, "he might not want them to get hurt even if he is ordered to kill anyone in their way."

"That may be true, Specialist," Eleanor replied, "but that doesn't mean he won't do harm to everyone on the field of battle. He would still want to attack the men in our troops, no matter what."

All of us gulped at this notion.

"Well, then, now that we know what to do from here," Eleanor finished, "I'd say it's almost time to move out our militia and meet the enemy. The sooner we can stop this Genesis, the better for all of Europa. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" we answered at once.

"Good. You're dismissed. Prepare for battle."

When we left the office, all of us had several mixed feelings about our new goals. Alonzo was anxious yet determined to face the enemy, judging by the way he was shaking with a smile on his face. Welkin was scratching his head as if he had a feeling this would happen, and he can't get out of it. Isabella was shaking heavily with fear, but she also was a little upset that she must face her old friends as enemies. I confess in this journal that I am nervous myself. I will be taking greater risks in battle, considering that these foes are not the normal army we're dealing with…much less human. Odds are I could be in greater danger than I fear. Help me if that is so…


	9. Chapter 9 - Isabella Log, Entry 3

**I'm back again...and I probably took too long to post another page again. Oh, well, I've got another chapter for everyone to see. Now there's some serious business going on. **

**I do not own Valkyria Chronicles, except for the OCs. Read, review, comment, but flames are not allowed here.**

Isabella Hobbs

The thought of facing fellow orphans frightened me. I hated this as well, because I had to face Genesis once again after all those years since I ran away. Though, I know that I must face them and put a stop to their foolish mission. But…can I do it? That is exactly what bothers me most.

As we prepared to move out, and headed toward our first destination, I kept thinking about those times I had with the orphans over and over again. I could distinctively recall my time with them: when we were alone in a world full of Gallians, Imperials, Atlanteans, and Darcsen. The Valkyrur were harder to find, though, so only one of those people…Scarlett, I think…was in no need for any human experimentation at all. She was also Darcsen, so the scientists saw no need to tamper with her. I think she was relieved about this, and only a few of us know that she is indeed a descendent of the Valkyrians. On the other hand, I always thought of Jagger as an utterly annoying creature who never pays attention to either of us; many of us mockingly wished that he had never been with us. Odin, on the other hand, I think I liked him more than anyone else: he was a strong lad, but he was also gentle at heart. Whenever I wanted to pick a fight with him, he'd let me hit him; I'd always ask him why he didn't try to resist, and he'd say that he doesn't want to hurt a woman…

"Hey, Isabella, snap out of it!" Alonzo called to me.

I lost my thoughts when I focused back into reality with everyone else. Alonzo was staring at me like I was being weird at myself, while William was just staring at me with concern on his face.

"Sorry, I was…lost in thought," I replied.

"It's fine, Isabella," William reassured me, "We had just arrived near the borders of the Feds and the Imperials. We'll be preparing to advance very soon."

I nodded to show understanding, but inside me I was very scared. Then again, so were many of the soldiers who are marching with us. It is almost time to move onward. Oh, how I hate to meet Odin face to face on the field of battle…

After the battle

The battle was really horrible beyond words. What had happened to us filled many with trauma at how fierce this foe is truly. I must record everything that happened here before I succumb to anxiety in my brain and pass out…or something like that.

When a select few of us met at our base, which is a small fort near the borders of the Federation and the Imperial Europans, we looked over our data and the formations of both the enemy and us. Welkin was looking over the charts and information when he sighed in disbelief.

"Well, one thing is for sure," Welkin said, "Odin is mobilizing his troops to come right at us, and, well, considering how many hiding places both of us have to fight, we'll have to approach his army with extreme caution. Odds are Odin is not only super strong, but also very intelligent as well."

He looked up to me.

"Isabella, can you spot his army ahead of us?" Welkin asked me.

I focused my foresight toward the ruined walls, and detected black hostile auras approaching in separate formations.

"It seems Odin has divided his troops into three groups," I informed, "One is out front, marching straight ahead. The second is scattering in different directions of the walls. The third, most likely the few tanks he has, are remaining in their places as last resort resources. Other than that, they are not planning an absolute frontal assault."

"Guess that means we'll have to conquer each group with our own groups," Alonzo suggested.

"Not so fast, Alonzo," William stopped him short; "He is trying to pick us off by wanting us to split up ourselves. Our best strategy is to use the cover of the walls as best we can until we can find Odin. Once he is found, only then we can take them down by finishing him off. However, we must still be careful."

"On the contrary, with Odin out for the count," Rosie added, "the tanks won't be able to perform their job without their boss's orders."

"True, Rosie," Welkin agreed, "but still, we'll take this battle as slowly as possible and not lose too many men to this officer. Odin is very strong, and he can take us down with ease. However, if any women among us are present…well, who knows what he will do?"

"Then, we know what we must do?" I asked.

Largo looked me as if he feared how I would fare in this the new skirmish.

"Yeah, I think we do," Largo said, "but what about you? You know you're gonna have to face him when you see him. How are you gonna deal with Odin?"

I was very frightened as he asked this question. I wanted to say something that sounded stupidly brave, but I lost the words in my mouth.

"It'll be alright as long as we stay low, and search the area carefully," Welkin decreed, "If everyone is ready, let's move out…but move very cautiously."

Everyone moved out to ready for the big battle against Odin. However, I could see the men were the most nervous about fighting such a powerful enemy, because if Odin saw any of them, he wouldn't hesitate to kill them if he wanted to. The women in the group were frightened, too, but not so much since they were reassured that the Sable Eye's first leader will not consider harming them: as they know, it is the subordinates they had to worry about.

I tremble still as I write this, but I must continue. When we have begun our advance, we moved slowly as planned. However, what caught us off guard was when the lancers made a surprise attack on the men who were marching ahead of the rest of our troops. It happened very quickly that we didn't see it coming. What was worse was that some of the enemy infantry attempted to advance on us and exterminate us. Fortunately, thanks to the excellent timing of the tanks, many of our wounded troops were able to escape with the help of our engineers.

Meanwhile, the group I was in was still shooting bravely against the lancers, trying to take each of them down with everything we got. We succeeded in reducing their numbers on the southwest, allowing the rest of the troops to move forward. I was attempting to take down any stragglers in the fourth lancer formation when I felt a presence right behind me. I turned around to find myself up close and personal with Odin. I remembered his eye patch and his incredible height quite well, but it saddened me to think that he is armed, and possibly intending to put a stop to my resistance. However, I could see that his eyes were very lonely themselves.

"Why, Odin?" I asked sadly, "Why must we fight each other today? You remember how much you hate fighting…don't you?"

He stared at me with a frown indicating grief.

"I do, indeed, Isabella," Odin replied, "However, time is very cruel to people. Ever since you ran away, it caused us to desire pursuit for the Ragnagun's power. Even I cannot understand why I must fight innocent people, but I have to do it because Genesis wanted to create a world that we can live in. I want to be among other people, but our special powers make us hardly known by anyone. We were sheltered away from the outside world, and we were isolated from what were called 'ordinary people' to our caretakers…"

"That's not true," I protested, "We are not entirely different! We are all people of Europa, no matter what we have gone through in the past!"

Odin lowered his lance as he sighed in dismay.

"You always told us that ever since we were kids," Odin remembered, "Most of the mixed blood orphans didn't quite understand you well, yet it was your opinion that gave them a small sense of hope. You inspired me, Scarlett, and few others because of your beliefs about peace. However, when Genesis discovered the information in regards to Ragnagun, and you ran away, we felt that if we must come out one day and face the world, we have to fight to set foot in the outside world. But…I don't even know if it really is right…"

I shook my head. "It's not right to kill people, Odin. You know that. You don't want to see women get killed. Yet you are still fighting. Why are you doing it?"

Odin was readying his lance at me, but I could see that he refuses to pull the trigger at me. I figured that he couldn't do it, because he is too gentle. Genesis probably thought his gentle nature could cause a problem for conquest. I cannot say for sure.

"Forgive me, Isabella," Odin said with guilt, "Master Genesis ordered me today to capture you, and bring you to him. If you attempt defiance, I will not hesitate to wound you."

I didn't want to defy the wishes of my old friend, but I did not want to surrender that easily. I was about to use my weapon against him, but then a gunshot rang out from behind him and wounded him in the process. He collapsed before me, and I saw someone standing there with a rifle in hand. It was another woman, but I had not seen her with us earlier.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked.

I looked at the woman as she flipped her pigtails back, lowered her weapon, and ran over to me. I had no idea who that woman is, nor how she came to the battlefield.

"Who…?" I started to ask.

"I'm Alicia," the woman said, "Come on, we'd better get away from him."

As she was helping me to my feet, Alonzo arrived at the scene with a tank following behind and several troopers. The tank stopped and the lid opened to reveal the face of Welkin, who seemed to be surprised to see who was with me.

"Alicia! Is that you?" Welkin asked.

"Yes, it's me," Alicia replied, "Whatever you're thinking; we'll talk about it later. For now, we have to stop this battle for good."

"Isabella, are you alright?" Alonzo called.

He was getting closer to us, when suddenly something sailed right past me and Alicia and almost hit in Alonzo's position. Thankfully, it missed and only made Alonzo tumble and several soldiers fall to the ground. I turned around to see that it was Odin who shot the rocket.

"Stop, Isabella," he ordered weakly because of his wounds, "Don't…don't do this to us. If I fail…one of us…will be sent to kill you."

He was about to launch another one toward the tank when another lancer's rocket flew right at Odin and hit very close to his position. I hardly recall what had happened at that moment, but when the dust cleared and the fight was subsiding, I ran over to Odin, who was on the ground, and wasn't moving. I feared him dead, but an engineer who came over reassured me that he was only in a coma. Even though the worst out there was over for now, it wasn't over for me as I fear for my old friend's life.

It is hard to speak more about this. I must stop. It feels too horrible beyond words.


	10. Chapter 10 - Alonzo Log, Entry 4

Alonzo Marsden

The battle was really rough for us. I thought I was a goner when Officer Odin shot at us, but his aim was off, so I guess I should count ourselves lucky. However, the same cannot be said about Isabella. When her childhood friend was found unconscious, it was learned he is in a coma. Largo was the one who attempted to shoot at Odin to save us, but apparently the hit didn't kill him. We felt very bad for him, so we had a medical truck take Odin to a hospital and see to it that he recovers with care.

When William met up with us, he seemed pretty worried about us. I guess he got the message of what had happened between Isabella, Odin, and us as well.

"Did something happen to Isabella?" he asked with worry, "Was everyone alright?"

"Everyone's okay," I replied, "However, Odin is in a coma. I had a medic truck take him to a hospital, so he should be alright…I hope."

We met with the rest of our troops to see who showed up to help us out so suddenly. Obviously, I never knew her, but something about her seemed familiar with her connection to Lieutenant Welkin. However, I had trouble determining who it is.

"Sorry if I startled any of you who are new in the Militia," the woman said, "My name is Alicia Gunther. I was a member of the Gallian Militia as well, until a few years ago after the war."

"Good to see you again, Alicia," Rosie said with a relieved smile.

"Yeah, how long's it been?" Largo asked brightly.

"So, Alicia, what brought you into the fight like this?" Welkin asked her, "I thought you chose to stay behind with Isara."

"Yes, I did," Alicia replied toward Welkin, "but when these strange soldiers attacked near the village we were living in, something told me I must fight them. Don't worry; our daughter is safe and sound. I had to find out what was going on and who those soldiers were, so I went to Eleanor and asked her about it. She informed me that the Gallian Militia is now facing off against an army called the Sable Eye, and that you guys were marching out to fight them and put a stop to their plans to kill us off. So, I had myself geared up, and rushed out to help you however I could. Hard to believe I rescued the girl before something awful would have happened to her."

She turned around to see me, William, and Isabella among us along with several other recruits in the militia. I think it is us three she is most curious about; I mean with me (a fourteen year old boy), William (who used to be an Imperial), and Isabella (I think her strange appearances gave her away) in the group, obviously she doesn't know us.

"Who are you three?" she asked us.

Under Welkin's beckoning, we walked up to meet Alicia face to face. As we got closer, I could see that she REALLY has no idea what to make of us.

"Um…okay, how about you first?" she asked me.

"I'm Sergeant Alonzo Marsden of Squad Seven," I answered, "I am the son of former Gallian soldier Tomas Marsden, and I am newly recruited, ma'am."

She nodded, trying to understand. She then turned her eyes to that of William Tell; when she did, she seemed to be quite hesitant about him. Maybe she could tell who he belonged to.

"What about you?" she asked suspiciously.

"I am Specialist William Tell, new recruit of Squad Seven," William replied with utmost dignity, "Former Imperial Specialist under command of Maximillian, until circumstances changed me into a Gallian citizen. I am currently following the Gallian Militia to end further conflicts."

She stared at him for a brief moment, and moved on to Isabella. It was when she approached her that her gaze changed into a sympathetic mood.

"How about you?" she asked, "I've never seen you."

"My name is Isabella Hobbs," Isabella replied, "I was a fortuneteller in a small village in Gallia, and I am currently in the Gallian Militia as Private Hobbs. It was Sergeant Alonzo who saved the village from the Imperials, so I joined the military to fight for the cause."

Alicia smiled as she looked at Isabella's eyes, and turned back to Welkin.

"I can see that these fellows are quite something," Alicia said to Welkin, "You're going to have to tell me everything about these three recruits when things quiet down. I'd like to know some more about them, and see if they have been useful."

Welkin laughed with a nervous smile on his face. He probably has no idea what to reply into this affair.

"Well, it's going to be a long story," Welkin said with a light warning.

She didn't seem to care, though. She just passed through, and…well…we just had to pack up and get ready to take a breather. Besides, we've been through a tough fight, and we need a rest for future battles to come. I wonder who would attack us next. The guy called Jagger? Or the woman called Scarlett? I tremble at the thought about it.

It is pretty dark out, so I will write as much as possible before I have to get to sleep. I was informed by Welkin that we will be moving out in the morning to meet against Jagger Stapleton. As far as we learned about him, he has a superhuman skill that was analyzed by scouts before their sudden destruction.

"What I have to say about him, though, is a frightening notion," Welkin sighed.

"What power does he have?" I asked him.

"The best information we could get about him," Welkin replied, "is that he has the ability to manipulate ragnite energy. Whenever he does this, it has been reported that the equipment containing ragnite are rendered useless at the whim of Jagger's power. This way, he can lead his troops and strike without suffering so much of a hindrance. It's that great of a problem."

I gulped as I heard all this. How is it possible for him to render weapons and equipment useless just like that?

"Did they have any insight as to how he makes weapons useless?" I asked fearfully for the first time.

"No, unfortunately," Welkin admitted, "The men who searched ahead to spy on him were discovered, and killed off swiftly."

That made my gulp much worse as my whole face blanched at the horror of such a terrible carnage he could make. I never thought that such destructive power would actually any army suffer under Jagger's command, much less kill anyone. What's worse is that if we make a false move, then we're pretty much dead as a doornail. Either way, there had to be some way to prevent our own troops from suffering devastating casualties as well…if at all.

"I guess…that means we'll have to find a way to stop him before he makes mincemeat of us, Welkin?" I asked while trying to keep calm.

"It seems that way," Welkin replied, "For now, we'd better rest. Once morning comes, we'll move out to face against Jagger."

I couldn't agree more about that. I really want to sleep so that I can prepare for the next battle. But for some reason, I could hardly sleep at all. I guess I was still shaken from the thought of us being hindered because of a mixed blood's sinister powers. How are we going to be able to fight against a mixed blood with such evil inside his soul? I can only hope that when we do fight him, a miracle would come to us.


	11. Chapter 11 - William Log, Entry 4

William Tell

The battle that we got ourselves into was a very rough one. It would probably be best if I record all this since I am still here with everyone on the field.

When morning arrived, we packed up and moved out to reach the location of the base of operations. Isabella told Welkin that Jagger is making another roadblock to the place the Ragnagun was buried away, and it is only a matter of time until the weapon itself is unleashed upon the world. Few of us gathered together to discuss the matter at hand personally.

"So, let me get this straight, Welkin," Alicia said in confusion, "You're saying that the reason we are fighting is to prevent usage of an ancient Darcsen weapon? And the leader of this insane mission is none other than a childhood friend from Isabella's orphanage?"

"That's the gist of everything, Alicia," Welkin replied, "We received the information necessary from Private Hobbs after finding few surviving Imperial troops in Gallia. We have already defeated Odin, the strongest of the officers. Now, we just have two other superiors to deal with: right now we are up against Jagger Stapleton, who is rumored to have the power to render ragnite useless. Another one after him is a Valkyrur named Scarlett Briggs. Once we get past them, we just have to brew up a strategy to fight Genesis and destroy the Ragnagun. At least, that is the extent of our knowledge."

Alicia was scratching her head as she tried to comprehend the information that she was hearing right now.

"Basically, Alicia, those people are definitely not human," Rosie clarified.

"That said; what should we do about Jagger?" Alonzo asked.

"Perhaps we should try to find a flaw in his offense," I suggested, "and exploit it. He has to have a weakness in every way within his army."

"What do you mean?" Isabella asked me.

"Well, I have an idea about how leaders of armies go in the field of battle," William replied, "I've seen my share of those who say they are leaders when they actually have a flaw in their human characteristics. Odds are Jagger must have a personal weakness that would make him vulnerable, leading to his own destruction."

"Ah…I see what you are getting at, Specialist," Alicia said when she figured out the point; "You mean to tell us that he might have a personality that would ruin his sense of leadership if exposed out in the open."

"Actually, he did have one trait that made him prone to greater danger," Isabella replied to this, "He was always narcissistic and proud of his appearances. Should anything ruin his good looks, he flies into an uncontrollable rage and leaves him vulnerable to further harm."

Everyone began to nod their heads in approval of William's speculations. They believed that it could be possible to win against Jagger after all.

"Alright, then, I guess we got this one settled," Welkin finally spoke up, "We'll find a way to provoke Jagger, and diminish his army before he destroys ours."

With that said and done, we were ready to march against the next leading officer. We travelled to an abandoned city to face the new adversary, considering the thought of using the cover necessary to conceal our troops and catch them by surprise. It took a little time to prepare, but we were able to have just enough time to take positions before Jagger's army appeared over the horizon. I could see from the third floor of the house I was in that the leader was riding the tank painted in black, while everyone else was merely infantry; this I find quite a shame. Does he really believe that his infantry is enough to handle our militia without the need of tanks? I cannot say about that.

"This is it, everyone!" Welkin called from in the Edelweiss, "Let's get out there, and show Jagger what the Gallians are made of!"

That was when I saw that something was amiss: Jagger raised his hand in front of him, and suddenly he began to glow a curious color. When it seemed to have subsided, I looked in the direction of the militia's tanks. At first, they seemed to be moving just fine, but then the tanks abruptly stopped moving forward.

"Welkin, what's wrong?" I heard Alicia ask from my communicator.

"The Edelweiss won't move!" Welkin replied in distress, "The ragnite is not operating as it should!"

"Another tank is not operating!"

"None of the tanks are responding!"

"Isabella, is this Jagger's doing?" Alonzo cried out.

"Yes! He's immobilizing the tanks so that the infantry can hit them!" Isabella replied in a panic, "It's not a good sign. We have to guard the tanks until we can stop Jagger!"

"If only we got a way to make him lose his focus," Rosie groaned in dismay.

"Yeah, that'd be a miracle," Largo admitted.

I was shaking in my boots at the moment those words came out. Everyone was in danger. If the tanks do not move out and wipe out as much infantry as possible, then we are in trouble. We could never defend the tanks for very long. Someone would find an opening, and then destroy the tanks before very long. That was when I had figured it out: if I could just distract Jagger, and get him to find another target, then it might give the troops the time necessary to fight back and push the infantry of the Sable Eye away. That way, when everyone is accomplishing their mission, it could be easier to get to the master once provoked.

I lifted my rifle up, peered through the scope, and caught Jagger within my sights. I took steady aim, and then fired at him. The gunshot I released didn't kill him, but it did nick just enough to make him lose his concentration…and make him rather angry. He spotted me up in the house, and was in a fit of vain rage.

"You ruined my face with a bullet!" he screamed from below, "I'll get you for this yet, pesky sniper!"

I saw him jump out of his tank with a shocktrooper's gun in hand, and rush toward the building I was hiding inside. That was when I realized I was in grave danger. I hurried from my old hiding spot, and began to search for another place to take cover and dispatch Jagger quickly. However, it was proving a problem. By the time I was running through the abode, he was trying to shoot at me fruitlessly. It felt like a cat-and-mouse game, for I was the mouse and he was the cat out to get me. I had to do whatever it takes to not let him kill me. Sometimes, whenever I did have the chance to find cover and I try to take aim at him, he would relentlessly shoot at me. I knew I could never escape from him for long. I had to find a way to kill him off for good.

That was when a miracle came to me. Just when it seemed like I was cornered with nowhere to run, I stumbled across something suspicious: there was a door hidden within a nailed-in wardrobe, empty of clothing. I seized the chance, slipped inside the closet, and closed the doors behind me. As it turned out, he couldn't find me. I didn't stop to enjoy this, though. I moved inside the secret door, and carefully proceeded through the stairway to reach a room with just enough dilapidation that I can snipe at Jagger without him knowing I was up here in the first place. I could hear him shooting and hollering furiously as he futilely searched for me.

"Come out and fight me, cowardly rat!" he yelled, "Come out and let me kill you!"

This was the moment I was waiting for. I aimed high for Jagger, steadily readied the trigger, and I took the shot. It was an excellent shot: the single round hit him where one of the lungs should be, and caused him to gasp for breath desperately. I waited until he was on the ground to climb out of my hiding place and meet him face to face. When he saw me up close for the first time, he was in shock.

"You…you're just a man," he said in shock, "Why…why did you shoot at me? Is it because I am an enemy, or something else?"

"Your arrogance was what made you blind," I replied, "You believe yourself superior because of your powers and your own beauty. Instead, all it did was made you a weak leader. That is the reason why I was able to defeat you just like that. When there is something worth fighting for, then I will not hesitate to eliminate the opponent who dares hinder my comrades."

With that, Jagger quickly died at my feet.

Just when I was going to take a breather, I heard good news on the communicator.

"Guys, we've beaten Jagger's troops!" Alonzo exclaimed, "Our casualties were pretty light, but we did it!"

"Specialist, are you alright?" Welkin called, "What happened to Jagger?"

"Jagger Stapleton has been eliminated," I replied, "He's dead."

"Thank goodness you're doing fine," Alicia said with relief, "When Jagger left his group, the soldiers got confused enough to let us strike at them without warning. It was smooth sailing from here, I have to admit. Once the tanks got moving, we were able to wipe out almost every soldier on the field."

That was when I felt quite proud of myself. I felt really glad to be a part of the Gallian Militia after all, since I was able to contribute to the fight against the new enemies. As far as I can tell, that is two dangerous foes out for the count. The only ones left are Scarlett Briggs, and then there's Genesis. Which one might we be fighting next? I think the answer is quite simple. Scarlett would be his last resort tactic to end us in few swoops. I have a feeling that she is going to be the most difficult opponent we've ever faced, since she appeared to be a Valkyrur as well as a Darcsen.

Now it makes me worry even more about which one of us would face her and live to tell the tale? Those made me remember about Alonzo. When she demonstrated her powers, something about her must have made the sergeant recall something in his past that caused him to quiver before the force she unleashed. I can only hope that we have a plan for the next battle to come.

As soon as I came out of the ruined house I was in, I was greeted by the joyful hug from Alonzo, Isabella's gentle embrace, and the cheers of the entire militia. It made me feel good about that, since I have saved more lives than I had thought I would.

Though, I have a feeling that what might happen after today is going to be a lot rougher than ever. I have to carry on for the sake of my comrades and for Gallia.


	12. Chapter 12 - Isabella Log, Entry 4

**Another delay, but another chapter. Things are getting more intense in the story, aren't they? Hope you're enjoying this, because it's a first for me to post homemade fanfics, if you know what I mean.**

**As always, nothing of Valkyria Chronicles belongs to me except for the OCs.**

**Read, review - or leave a compliment - but don't bring any flames here.**

Isabella Hobbs

After what had happened in that battle against Jagger's troops, we deserved a very decent rest. I, for one, am really pleased at how well we survived this ordeal. However, I still cannot shake off the fact that Scarlett is next to fight against, and I am afraid that the rest of us will have a problem against her. After all, part of her blood is that of a Valkyrur, and if any of us tried to face her, who knows how many people would suffer or die at her hands? Who would have the strength to face off against her?

"Isabella, are you alright?"

I turned to see William sitting next to me in our room. He seemed to be very concerned because I was feeling very tense.

"Not really, William," I replied, "I can't help but think that we'll be up against Scarlett Briggs. As far as I can remember, Scarlett has indeed been feared because she is a Valkyrur. However, since is also a Darcsen, and she has superhuman skills that probably the average Valkyrur could never have, who knows what means she would dare use to kill us all?"

William was silent for a moment. "Now that I think about this, you probably didn't notice how Alonzo reacted when she demonstrated her powers, did you?"

"No, I didn't."

"The way Alonzo watched her," William told me, "I could have sworn that I saw shock in his eyes. There must have been something about her might that made him recognize it…like something similar occurred in his past. I did hear that his father was killed by a Valkyrur…but I didn't think that it would be Selvaria Bles who would murder his father back then. It was at Ghirlandio when Alonzo's father died at her hands. I could assume that is the reason why such a sight would bring back haunting memories."

I looked away for a bit to think about all this. I always remembered how Scarlett is hardly ever fazed by anything that has happened when we lived in the orphanage. She was always strong in heart, no matter what befell us. Although not many orphans favored her because she is half Valkyrur, she was still a close friend, and it didn't matter about her own bloodline; she was a dear friend to me and Odin and Genesis. When I ran away after hearing Genesis's plans for us to find our place through violence, I guess I didn't consider how everyone felt when I left them. Then again, Scarlett must have been unfazed by this like always…unless deep inside her, she was hurt by my sudden departure. Odin felt that way when I left, so why wouldn't she?

I shook my head, thinking I'd better stop reminiscing and focus on right now.

"Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts," I said bluntly.

"It's alright, Isabella," William replied gently.

He looked like he was in thought about something. I wondered what it is, though. He looked up at me with a curious notion in his eyes.

"Isabella, I was thinking about something," William said, "When we have put a stop to Genesis and his mad schemes...would it be alright if I went to the village you lived in, and stayed with you?"

I was so perplexed at this. "What did you say?"

William blushed. "I…I know this sounds awkward for you, since I am born an Imperial, and my bloodline belongs with the same country I was born in. However, it is no longer the case, ever since I was accepted by a small farming town in Gallia." He turned to look at me. "If I can at least support you, and help out Gallia even further, then…then I wouldn't mind letting you do with me as you see fit."

I didn't know what to make of William's devotion. I had no idea whether he was confessing his love or if he just wants to sympathize for me, but the way he sounded devoted to his new homeland just made me want to smile at him.

"I'll think about it," I replied, "When we finish this war, I'll give you an answer then…is that okay?"

William smiled. "That's fine by me."

He looked out toward the darkness of night. "It's late, Isabella. You should get some rest, first. It won't be long before we have to move out again."

I couldn't agree more. I am getting tired as I write in here. I will record later in the morning.

By the time morning had arrived, it could be seen that everyone is getting more and more nervous as we approach the moment of truth: confronting Genesis himself and destroying the Ragnagun. With Odin in a coma somewhere in a hospital and Jagger killed off by William, only Scarlett remains standing in the way to our intended target. The only question is how are we going to defeat her with the troops that we have? She could easily wipe out so many of us in one swoop if she wishes to. After all, half of her blood is a Valkyrur. Most of us wouldn't stand a chance, unless if…

When we had gathered for our meeting, I could see that the map of our environment indicates that we are dealing with a force incomprehensible as far as we are concerned.

"Okay, we've done well to take out two of the Sable Eye's officers," Welkin said, "but now we have one last follower to eliminate: Scarlett Briggs, the Valkyrur."

"Something tells me she's not going to be an easy one," William pointed out.

"My thoughts exactly," Alicia had to agree, "The last time the Militia had been in war, we had our experience against a Valkyrur called Selvaria Bles. She was a very deadly combatant, and she was responsible for the destruction of Ghirlandio…killing off the main army. But this woman is different: she is a mixed blood, and she might be deadlier than her predecessor thanks to the Darcsen blood inside of her."

I looked at Alicia like I know what is on her mind. "Even though Scarlett is not in any official army, she still is a force to be reckoned with, and I'd recommend not taking her lightly. If we all try to go up against her, she will do everything in her power to wipe us all off the face of the earth."

"Then how about I take her on?" Alonzo suddenly suggested.

Everyone in the meeting turned toward Alonzo's direction, including me, William, and Welkin. We were stunned at the bluntness he had performed, but even more surprised when he saw his intensely serious look. It was almost as if he had intended to do something extremely stupid right from the start of our problems.

"Sergeant Marsden, what's gotten into you?" Welkin asked in shock.

"Sir, I know that this sounds insane of me to say this," Alonzo replied, "but if anyone is to fight and put an end to her life, it should be me. My father perished because of Selvaria's powers years ago, but I assure you that I do not intend to perish the same way he did. And if you think about it, if I go out there and battle her one on one, then that can buy you guys just enough time to reach the location of the Ragnagun and stop Genesis before he even thinks about using it."

None of us spoke as we listened to his suddenly brave speech. Then, when Welkin saw that he was not going to be able to dissuade Alonzo from whatever rash action he intends on doing, he gave up the thought of arguing very quickly.

"Well, then, Sergeant, we'll go in accordance to your plans," Welkin agreed with concern, "but do what you can to make it back to the group in one piece, okay?"

Alonzo smiled confidently and replied, "Don't worry about me. Besides, we've got a half-blood psychopath that we've got to deal with. I'm not going to die that easily!"

With the meeting concluded, everyone got ready to move out and pursue the remaining members of the Sable Eye while Alonzo gears himself up for the fight of his life.


End file.
